


Growing Up Is Hard

by EricaEntertainsIdeas



Category: Hey Arnold!
Genre: F/M, Love Confessions, au where the FTI building confession didn't happen, au where the jungle movie didn't happen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-05
Updated: 2018-11-05
Packaged: 2019-08-18 20:32:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16524137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EricaEntertainsIdeas/pseuds/EricaEntertainsIdeas
Summary: AU where FTI and The Jungle Movie didn’t happen. Takes place in-between 8th and 9th grade, when they’re 13. A little moment where Helga tries to tell Arnold her secret. Also some Gerald/Phoebe because I love them.





	Growing Up Is Hard

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PointyObjects](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PointyObjects/gifts).



> So everyone in my office is out today and I have nothing to do. Obviously, should do some writing for this fandom that I’ve been in forever. Dedicating this to PointyObjects, who is amazing and has inspired and encouraged me to write. 
> 
> Disclaimer: Hey Arnold, the franchise, show, and characters, do not belong to me. They belong to Craig Bartlett, Nickelodeon, and Viacom.

“Hey, Arnold,” Gerald said lowly as he and Arnold were waiting for the bus, “I need you to do me a favor.”

“Sure, Gerald, what do you need?” Arnold said, shifting his backpack to one shoulder and then off as he stepped on behind Gerald on the crowded bus. 

“I’m gonna ask Phoebe out today, after baseball, and I need you to distract Helga while I do. You know they always walk home together afterwards, and I don’t want Helga to get all suspicious if I have to say that I want to talk to Phoebe alone.” Gerald’s eyes were pointed down, clearly already sorry for having to ask Arnold for such a big favor, in his eyes. 

Arnold, already having agreed in his head and not seeing it as too much of a challenge despite Gerald’s negative view of Helga over the years, only nodded and said, “Of course, I’m happy to help. I’ll just ask to walk her home after practice is over.” 

Gerald’s eyes widened in fear for his best friend, but knew that he needed to ask Phoebe out today, since the flowers he had delicately placed in bag (which he was holding out in front of him so that they wouldn’t be jostled and crushed by the straphangers) wouldn’t last another day. Eventually he nodded and said “Thanks, Arnold. You’re a bold kid, but thanks. If I don’t do this today, I’m going to lose my nerve, I just know it.”

“It’s okay, Gerald, it’s not a big deal,” Arnold said and then grinned teasingly, “You can just make it up to me by actually asking her out this time.” 

“Aw man, never going to let me live that down are you?” Gerald’s hand was covering half of his face as he groaned. “It was only like _two_ times, at most. This stuff is hard! I’ve been crushing on her for _years!_ ” He blushed a little as he heard himself be louder than he intended and saw a few people smirk knowingly and turn their heads away from him like they weren’t listening. 

“Yeah, and the smiles between you two are very cute but if I have to hear about you wanting to hold her hand one more time, Gerald, _I'm_ going to ask her out,” Arnold said in a lilt voice, still teasing him as he added with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, “and she’d say yes because no one can resist this blonde hair,” poofing his hair up with one hand. 

“That’s not even funny man,” Gerald said, looking Arnold in the eye and pouting for a moment, before laughing a little as his friend kept up his ridiculously smug face. 

“You got this, Gerald, don’t worry. She’s going to say yes.” Arnold held out his thumb, elbow a little jammed into the people behind him, and Gerald mimicked him to do their signature handshake. 

Gerald smiled, “Thanks,” and then turned his smile into a smirk as his eyes narrowed playfully. “You know…there are definitely a few other girls noticing your ‘irresistible’ blonde hair…”

“Gerald, please,” Arnold said, now groaning himself.

“I’m just saying,” Gerald’s left hand lifting a little like it would slow the blow of what he was going to say, “even Sheena was getting starry eyed in class last week when you helped her make that clay bowl in art, and I didn’t think she’d ever take her eyes off that new guy, Keith.”

Arnold only rolled his eyes, “Are you saying Sheena’s fickle?” 

“No, I’m saying Keith is one good looking dude, and you gotta have some magic shampoo or something to be attracting all these girls.” Gerald’s eyes were wide as he said this, adding to his astonishment despite having been the one to say it.

Arnold chuckled, “Come on, Gerald, maybe some of the girls in our class have crushes, but it’s not everyone - Helga doesn’t have a crush on me.” He laughed again.

Gerald, however, stayed quiet and looked down at his shoes. 

“Gerald?” Arnold paused when Gerald stayed silent, prompting him to ask again, “Gerald? I don’t get it, _does_ she have a crush on me?” Arnold’s own eyes widening, mouth opening in disbelief.

“I’m not saying anything, man, it could be nothing.” Gerald said, wanting to stop it at that, but continued after a serious look from Arnold. Sighing, Gerald tilted his head to the side and specifically looked out the bus windows and not at Arnold as he said, “It’s just that when I’m looking over at Phoebe, sometimes she and Helga are talking and Phoebe is looking at you and giggling and Helga is blushing.” 

“And that’s ALL I’m saying.” Gerald added with a nervous glance at Arnold’s face, trying to gauge his reaction.

Arnold’s eyebrows were slightly furrowed, head shaking almost imperceptibly back and forth, as if he really didn’t believe it, but was trying to reconcile the truth of what his best friend said with how he thought of Helga G. Pataki. 

“That’s impossible, Gerald,” Arnold finally said, although his eyebrows were still a little furrowed, “there’s no way she likes me. She’s been mean to me forever.” 

“So? Maybe it means you’ve finally won her over,” Gerald shrugged, “I wouldn’t worry too much about it, but it’s why I felt a little bad about asking you for this favor.” 

“Oh,” Arnold said, remembering what he’d just agreed to, “right, distracting Helga..” Arnold’s voice faded off like he was going to say something else, his eyes looking far out of the bus windows, but just shook his head and said, “No worries, I got this. You are going to get yourself a date today!” And then he smiled and clapped Gerald on the back lightly as they headed off the bus, their stop ending the conversation as they got to Gerald’s field.

\-----------

“Aw man! I can’t believe we lost, _again._ Must be the third time in a row!” Harold complained loudly, walking off the field with Stinky and Sid after the game was over. 

Phoebe handed Helga her water bottle, which had fallen over as Helga lay flat on her back on the small patch of grass between the buildings and the dusty field. “Here you go, Helga,” she said. 

“Thanks, Phoebes,” Helga breathed out in between taking gulps of water, “it is waaay too hot out today. Maybe we should’ve seen a movie instead.” Helga passed the water bottle back to Phoebe, cap off, offering her some of the drink. 

Nodding in thanks, Phoebe took a sip and looked out across the field as she leaned against the brick building next to Helga’s feet. “Oh Helga, I’m just so,” she spotted Gerald grinning at something Arnold said, “ _glad_ we got all this vitamin D,” she finished with a smile, standing up the bottle on the grass next to her feet. 

Dragging the small, sweaty washcloth that she always brought to these practice games before the school team started - it was too hot outside to pretend girls didn’t sweat and it’s not as if Helga G. Pataki put on an act for anybody - down her face, Helga groaned. “Phoebe if you are staring at Gerald again, please stop it. I can see the disgusting puppy love look on your face as he, how do you always put it? ‘Glistens in the sun?’ It’s sweat, Phoebe, he needs to take a shower.”

“Or I could lick it off him,” Phoebe said with a wicked smile, knowing it would gross Helga out. 

“Phoebe…” Helga groaned out, much louder this time, dragging the cloth on her face up and then pinching it where her nose was. Phoebe only burst out laughing.

In the time it took to make the joke, Arnold and Gerald had already approached them from across the field where Phoebe had observed them.

“Gerald!” Phoebe shouted, surprised and now wanting to take back the joke she had made - only because he might’ve heard it though, she was still a teenage girl. 

Helga grinned under her white cloth for a moment, mentally laughing at Phoebe almost getting caught, and then sat upright, moving the cloth up to cover her hair and pushing herself back against the wall next to Phoebe. She grinned wryly and greeted them, “Hello chuckleheads, what brings you to this side of the field? Want to hang out with winners?”

“Very funny, Helga,” Arnold said dryly, the loss making him a little self-conscious since he wanted to make the team come the fall, “we'll get you guys next week.”

“Sure, football head, sure.” Helga replied, still grinning, but looking away from him, as if it could conceal the slight blush that was forming on her cheeks. What it did hide was the look in her eyes of - in her mind - pitiful, unrequited love, which she couldn't give him dead on in the middle of some random conversation, that would spook him for sure.

Gerald wasn't paying attention to Helga though, his eyes only focusing on Phoebe as he waved off Helga's comment with his hand and said, “Phoebe must be your good luck charm, I’ll just have to work on getting her over to our team and then she can be our secret weapon.” He was grinning by the time he finished, encouraged by Phoebe, who had started giggling into her hand halfway through his sentence. 

“Okay, lover boy, would you like to walk Phoebe home or what?” Helga suddenly said languidly, irritated with the same old way Gerald and Phoebe had danced around for years and knowing what Gerald's intention was. 

Phoebe just laughed again, and held out her hand, fully embracing Gerald's charm and their romantic, undefined relationship. “Yes, Gerald, I'd love to be walked home.”

With a genuine smile and a quick glance at Arnold (to which Arnold gave a little nod as encouragement), Gerald took Phoebe's hand and bowed slightly, playfully winking at her. “Alright, my lady,” he said and they walked off towards Phoebe's house, Phoebe giving a little wave goodbye to Helga and Arnold. 

Silence settled on Helga and Arnold but it wasn't uncomfortable. Mostly because Helga had resumed trying to cool off by soaking her cloth with the remainder of her water in her bottle and returning it to the top of her head. Cool droplets were slowly rolling down the sides of her forehead by the time she looked at Arnold again, whose scrutinizing gaze was making her blush. However, before she could utter a scathing 'What?’ he had chosen to sit down next to her against the wall, his actions making her pause. 

At last she spoke, casually, even though her heart was beating wildly at his close proximity, “You don't have to babysit me you know, football head, I _can_ make it home without Phoebe.”

This brought a little smile out of him as he responded, “I know, Helga, but it's still a good summer day out and I'd like to hang out with someone while Gerald finally asks Phoebe out,” Helga’s mouth opened a little at this as she thought 'finally!’ but Arnold continued, “if that's alright with you, of course.”

“I,” Helga started, the heat that had been momentarily extinguished by the damp washcloth coming back in a wave, “Sure, whatever floats your boat.” She wasn't exactly chummy with Arnold or Gerald, but she had given up her need to appear distant with him over the years. She had worked for a while with Dr. Bliss to think before she spoke to Arnold, so that she could evaluate what she actually wanted to say before harsh words spilled from her mouth seemingly unconsciously. She was glad the technique was working today, she was going to get to spend the rest of the day with Arnold! 

“You wanna go to the arcade? They have air conditioning there.” Helga suggested, shrugging her shoulders noncommittally, as if she hadn't just agreed to hang out with him at all, and wouldn't care if he bailed out now - hey, she was _trying_ to be less distant, it was a work in progress. 

“Might be too crowded,” Arnold replied, keeping his real reason for doing so to himself, “What about if we go down to the pier and skip rocks? The breeze from the water will cool us off.” He was trying to entice her, and he could only hope she wasn't catching onto his plan to get her alone - which she was. 

She was suspicious because she had had quite a few deep conversations with Arnold over the last few years and she wasn't sure what was going to happen if he tried to turn tonight into a let's-try-to-get-to-know-Helga-better session. Truthfully, with her more controlled actions (she didn't roughly push him off her anymore if they ran, literally, into each other) and carefully thought out words that she exhibited during the past year, she wasn't sure if she would be able to keep her secret love of him hidden for longer. Control over herself gave her more confidence, and if he was asking to hang out with her, alone, maybe he was starting to trust her - she wouldn't dare let herself think he liked her like _that._ Which made her swoon and want to spill her guts. Which might be a problem tonight, just in case she wasn't prepared to deal with the aftermath of doing that, but it was so hot out - maybe it was clouding her judgment just a little - that she just didn't want to care. Whatever was going to happen would happen, and with that resolve she said, “Okay,” pushed herself off the ground with fingers curled into fists, and motioned for Arnold to do the same, “let's go.”

Arnold tried to keep his smile small and hidden. Helga had been acting, well, normal, lately - the past year - and he found her funny and easy to talk to. Besides, he was a teenage boy and she was, frankly, _hot_ when she was a little sweaty after these games. Maybe he and Phoebe should start a club to help curb all these hormones that were clearly very hard for them both to keep in - he had heard her remark before as he and Gerald walked over and almost laughed out loud, but thought better about it and took care not to, to save Phoebe a lot of embarrassment, especially since Gerald had been too nervous about asking her out to pick up on what she said before they had reached her. 

Getting up in the same way as her, they started walking the half mile to one of the pier's many docks, the silence settling on them more comfortable in the slight breeze from the late afternoon. 

“So he's really going to ask her this time?” Helga broke the silence once again, hopeful curiosity striking her on behalf of her best friend. 

“Yeah, he's been planning it all week,” Arnold said with a smile. “Do you think she'll say yes?” He was suddenly a bit doubtful, and it showed as his forehead scrunched up in concern - after all, he wasn't an expert on love, he’d never even had a real girlfriend before (Lila didn't count). 

“No doubt about it, football head, so take that concerned look off your face,” she had glanced at him from the corner of her eye to see him worried, “she's been crazy about him forever. Personally, I think they just liked to dance around each other and the tension has just finally become unbearable. For them and us.” She added the last bit with a smirk, knowing that if Phoebe was driving her crazy with all her pent up hormones, Gerald must be doing the same to Arnold. Of course, after all her years pining over Arnold, it's not like she could really complain about Phoebe. 

“That's...” Arnold started and trailed off for a moment, thinking a little longer about what she said, “really smart of you to say. You're probably right, they probably get a kick out of flirting.” He gave a little chuckle at the end for their two friends’ habits of always talking whenever they were in groups together and giving each other compliments on looks and classwork randomly. Compliments on personality, at least in Arnold's case with Gerald, were reserved for 1am during sleepovers at the boarding house, when Gerald would murmur something half asleep about Phoebe being “so smart…and did you know she really cares about animals?” before turning over and finally knocking out.

“Well flirting is pretty fun, once you get good at it,” Helga responded in the calmest voice she could manage as her brain immediately started screaming _'Hello! Why are we going down this path! Abort! Abort!'_ but the damage was done and Arnold’s curiosity was peaked. 

“Speaking from experience?” Arnold responded with a sly grin. His own brain was questioning him, _‘Is this flirting? Are you flirting right now? Why are you doing that! You just wanted to get to know her better, you don't even know what your real feelings are, don't lead her on!’_ It made his heart beat a little faster, excitedly waiting for her response. 

Helga cleared her throat nervously and pretended to examine the baseball field dirt under her nails so she didn't have to look him in the eyes while she told a little white lie. “Sheesh, do you think I live under a rock or something? I know how to flirt, football head.”

“Well I don't, can you teach me?” Arnold's response stopped his own heart and almost made him trip on the sidewalk curb as they crossed a street. _‘You're on your own now, buddy,'_ Arnold’s brain told him and promptly shut off, all his words were coming straight from the subconscious emotions of the heart. 

Helga, on the other hand, did stop right in the middle of the street for a few precious seconds before coming back to earth to realize, thankfully, that she had not been hit by a car during her moment of shocked excitement. _‘Excitement?_ She thought, _You are way too in love with this idiot and you're going to embarrass yourself.’_ Arnold, however, had not noticed her pause, and said nothing of her odd behavior. 

When she resumed walking she had calmed her breathing significantly and decided to go along with his heart stopping little game. _‘What do I have to lose?’_ she thought. She went the over-dramatic route by batting her eyelashes and clasping her hands under her chin before saying, “Oh Arnold, are you flirting with me right now?” 

Had he not turned to look at her, he might've been blushing profusely, but pausing to look at her exaggerated actions made his eyes twinkle and laugh good naturedly at her performance and humor. “Maybe,” he said with a laugh, giving her a grin that melted her.  
Helga couldn't help blushing this time. All this flirting was starting to make her uncomfortable and she needed to get to the pier already and hope that the breeze cooled off her overheating mind and body. This led her to suddenly shouting, “Race you to the pier!” and taking off in a sprint. 

Arnold was quick behind her, body having moved to follow her movements automatically, before her words even registered. He was a little bewildered by her actions, but was grateful to be out of a conversation about _flirting,_ of all things, with _Helga._ He was only trying to see if those feelings Gerald was talking about on the bus were really true, _right? 'Wrong!'_ his heart seemed to say by giving him an uneasy feeling about this just being curiosity. In any case, though, he still couldn't tell if she liked him - or at least, if she liked him now. 

The pier was a few blocks away, giving Helga a few moment’s peace without thoughts of Arnold invading her brain, but they were both sweaty by the time they made it to the dock. Once again Helga laid down on her back, but this time at the edge of the dock with her legs dangling over the side, cooling them by swinging them in the little sprays of water from the tide. 

“Beat you, football head,” she said with a wry smile, looking at him from her upside-down view as he collapsed next to her on the dock, copying her movements and lying down with his legs over the side, too.

“We can have a rematch next week,” he said, looking up at the sky. He was content to just lie there and watch the birds fly in the breeze, and apparently so was she as they fell into another silence, exhausted from the run and the day in general.

_'This is really nice,’_ Helga thought, closing her eyes in contentment, a small smile gracing her face. 

It was at this point that Arnold turned to look at her, wanting to ask her a question, the question that had been on his mind all day, but he kept quiet when he saw her eyes closed. _'She’s beautiful,’_ he thought. With her hair splayed out around her, having taken it down after the game to lie comfortably on the grass, and the sun illuminating her body in her khaki colored Capri's and pink t-shirt, Arnold could only stare in awe. He started to think that it wouldn't be bad if Helga liked him, not at all. _'Because I think I like her.’_

\---------------

Gerald was desperately trying to _not_ have sweaty palms when he was finally _(!)_ getting to hold Phoebe's hand. It was not working out very well but Phoebe did not mind in the slightest. 

They had just left Helga and Arnold at the baseball field and were starting towards Phoebe's house, but she'd already decided she was going to take him the long way to her place. Her smarts did not stop at books, and she prided herself on the her ability to understand just what a social situation called for. She had a feeling it was time for her and Gerald to talk some things out. 

\---------------

Helga was enjoying the sun warming her face as the heat was balanced with the splashes of water on her legs and breeze, having no idea of Arnold's gaze as she had the slightest smile plastered on her face in contentment. 

Until of course Arnold breathed out “wow…” 

The break in the silence broke Helga out of her trance, but she was feeling particularly stubborn about her enjoyment and screwed her eyes shut, scrunching up her face, as she asked, “What?” in her calmest annoyed voice, which was pretty good for her if she was going to give herself credit. 

_Gulp._ Arnold did _not_ mean to say that out loud, but...what could he possibly say other than the truth. So with a courage he didn't know he had, Arnold actually said what he was thinking (well, part of it), “You're really pretty, Helga.”

That woke Helga from her calm trance fast. “What?!” Helga squeaked out so high that barely any noise came out of her mouth at all. Her eyes had flown open at the comment but she remained on her back, staring at the sky, not wanting to look over at him. 

Arnold, was a little shocked by what he had said aloud and was unprepared for Helga's (what should have been predictable) response. But then his eyes softened at the way she reacted, in surprise, disbelief that he would say that, and he thought that maybe she hadn't had someone say that to her before, at least no one that wasn't in her family. So he opened his suddenly very dry mouth and said it again, “You're really pretty, Helga, I mean it.”

Helga couldn't sit still after hearing it twice. She abruptly sat up and turned to him in one swift movement, realizing embarrassingly that she still had nothing to say to that and just had her mouth open a little like a gasp was stuck on her breath. Arnold, at the very least, had the decency to blush, his face turning redder with every moment that continued without either saying a word. 

After a solid minute of staring, Helga's mouth was too dry to stay open and she had to close it and breath through her nose normally again, restarting her brain. 

“Why…” she started with still wide eyes, still not having all her thoughts together, gulping before continuing in a whisper, “Why did you say that?” 

“Because it's true,” Arnold said, finally sitting up to match her, making it a point to look her right in the eyes as he said it. He wanted her to know he meant it, cherry red blush that he could _feel_ spreading down his neck and spidering to his whole body be damned. 

Helga knew her own blush was getting more noticeable the longer she locked eyes with his but his look when he said that was... reassuring. _Nice. Really nice. Wow, I can't believe he would say that to me._

As nice as it was though, she wasn't used to compliments and became too embarrassed to keep meeting his eyes any longer. Looking down and playing with the flap of one her pockets, she stuttered out a soft, “Thanks, Arnold.” 

“You're welcome,” he said, taking his eyes off of her to stare into the water. He realized he had made the air between them ten times more awkward by complimenting her and had nothing to say or do to get out of it. 

On the other side of the dock, Helga was metaphorically wringing her hands in her mind, trying to decide if now was the right time. It was unplanned, sure, but he just told her she was beautiful for criminey's sake! Surely he wouldn't dive into the sea to get away from her if she mentioned that she like-liked him. 

_Alright, Helga old girl, you got this. Just take a deep breath and say you have something to tell him.._

“Arnold…” Helga had to stop to take another breath, her courage fading fast. She gulped, _come on, you can do this! It's just stupid football head!_

But when she turned her gaze on him, wanting to say this to his face, all she saw was a seagull swoop down on them from out of nowhere and steal Arnold's little blue hat. 

“Hey!” Arnold exclaimed wildly, arms coming up futilely as the hat was already gone before he could react. 

Suddenly the both of them were scooting back to push their legs back onto the dock and bodies were already turning over to get up and scramble after the bird. Fortunately both had experience chasing after that exact blue hat, though they felt very unfortunate that this had happened again. 

\---------

Gerald and Phoebe had been walking in slightly awkward silence, still holding hands, for three minutes, when Phoebe decided she should probably say something. 

“You played well today, Gerald. That was a good catch, I thought for sure Nadine would've gotten a home run.”

Gerald had a smile ghost his face for a moment before saying, “Thanks, Phoebe. Hopefully I can make the team when tryouts start. I've even been practicing catching with Jamie O when we can't get enough of the gang together for a game.”

Phoebe was happy to finally get him to smile, he seemed so nervous. “I'm sure the extra practice will pay off. Both you and Arnold will make the team, even as freshman. Besides, I'm good luck, remember? So if I go to your tryouts, you won't have to worry.” She looked at him flashed a grin his way as she said this, hoping to make him feel more comfortable. She knew Gerald was worried about this but asking Jamie O to help him? He _hated_ Jamie O!

“Really? You'd do that, Phoebes?” A hopeful smile on his face, eyes lighting up as he thought about her being there to watch him. Even if he didn't make the team, he'd get to spend the rest of the day with her anyways.

“Of course, if it'll make you feel better,” Phoebe said like it was a matter-of-fact. 

Gerald had a grin wider than a mile on his face. _She's amazing, so thoughtful. I love her._ His eyes widened a little at that thought. Sure, he'd thought about loving her before but that had almost just slipped out of his mouth! He really needed to ask her out already.

“Hey, Phoebe,” he said and stopped walking. A blush spread to his cheeks and he could feel his ears starting to burn as his body cringed with embarrassment for him. 

A little puzzled by his stop, _what's he up to?_ Phoebe stopped too. Her hand dropped to her side easily as he shrugged his backpack of his shoulders, dropping her hand in the process to get it fully off. 

_Okay Gerald, this is it, just take out the flowers and ask her out. Easy, simple, piece of cake._  
He reached into his bag to grab the stems by their cellophane wrappings, carefully pulling out the flowers so they wouldn't break as they came out and presented them to her.

“Uhm, Phoebe, I know I'm kind of springing this on you, and you can say no but...will you-” _big gulp,_ “will you go out with me?” His eyes screwed shut for a moment in a wince before he gave her this hopeful smile that made his eyes crinkle and her heart melt.

Phoebe was stunned. Yes she knew they liked each other and maybe she was hoping to ask him out today but he actually planned it out! _He had flowers! Just for me!_ Phoebe was jumping for joy inside, but on the outside she was trying to play it cool. She couldn't help smiling though, her smile growing bigger with every second she looked at the beautiful pink and yellow lillies he had gotten her. 

She was so entranced by them that she didn't even answer right away. She just kept smiling at him, taking in and memorizing the scene of Gerald holding out flowers for her - _for me!_ \- until she saw that his eyes had gone from expressing bashfulness and nervousness to fear and disappointment. 

“It, it's okay to say no,” he said after half a minute with her not taking the flowers, starting to look down at the ground and lower the flowers back to his side. _She is not going to see me cry. It's okay, you guys can still be friends._

“No..no!” Phoebe exclaimed when she realized he thought she was rejecting him. “I love the flowers, I-I want to go out with you!” _Great going now you're shouting at him!_

Gerald brought the flowers to his chest, resting them against his shirt in such a way that his hand was touching his heart. 

“You do?” he asked hopefully. 

Relieved that he got the message, Phoebe breathed out a “Yes,” and attempted to smile reassuringly. Her heart was racing, she knew she liked him, what was all this fuss in her heart for? She even felt so happy that she felt like she was going to cry and she could barely keep it in any longer. 

“Gerald…” she spoke softly, trailing off his name. She took a half step forward, they were already so close. And then she leaned into him, standing on her tippy toes and taking his cheek delicately in one hand, guiding him to her lips. 

Gerald was a little shocked by her boldness, but once her eyes locked on his, right before she leaned up to kiss him, all he could think of was how much he absolutely loved her. 

The kiss was… _amazing._ A whole three seconds of absolute bliss. 

When Phoebe pulled back, returning herself to the ground where she needed her feet to have steady footing (she was already feeling lightheaded), Gerald's head trailed after hers a little before coming back to reality. 

Then he smiled at her, shoulders, nose and eyes scrunching up in adoration of just how cute she looked with that blush on her cheeks, and stuck out his arms to wrap her up in them. 

He squeezed her tightly for a moment before letting her go, taking her hand in his and trying to pull her towards her house. 

The hug Phoebe had been pretty still for, shocked that he would display such affection, but by the second tug on her hand she was smiling happily to herself and swinging their hands as they walked to her home.

\------------

Arnold and Helga had run 5 blocks before the seagull decided that Arnold's hat didn't taste delicious and was not worth the trouble of having two teenagers run after him. 

Arnold gratefully swiped the hat from the dirty pavement it dropped on as Helga glared at the bird from her hunched over, hands-on-her-knees position. 

To the ire of Helga, the bird flew off uncaring of the confession that he ruined. Arnold was just relieved to have his prized possession back. 

Turning back to Helga, Arnold chuckled, finding her glare for the seagull funny. Her facial expressions were always so dramatic; he found it charming. 

When his laugh turned her glare onto him he smiled at her and said, “Thank you, Helga, I’m glad to know you have my back.”

_Is he trying to be sweet again? What's with all these compliments?_ Helga had almost been drawn into a confession before, after he had called her pretty, but now she was just suspicious. 

“You're sappy today, football head,” Helga said, drawing out 'sappy' like an insult. She was not in the mood to beat around the bush. She was still going to confess, no matter what he felt, but getting his opinion of her first, before spilling her innermost feelings, would be nice. Helga tried to ignore her conscience telling her that she was a chicken. 

“I'm just saying what I'm thinking,” Arnold said. He wasn't looking at her now, just staring into the storefronts that were beginning to close as they walked passed them. Somehow, after the seagull incident they had wordlessly agreed on a direction and started walking. If given more thought, maybe one of them would have noticed that neither of them wanted to go home just yet and would rather walk around aimlessly. 

“Don't you ever do that, Helga?” Arnold asked, looking over to her as they walked. “Don't you ever say what you mean?” 

Arnold knew he was asking a pointed question because Helga _never_ said what she meant, and it drove him mad. He did feel a little guilty about putting her on the spot though. 

_He is trying to kill me!_ Helga thought, getting more nervous by the second. _Does he…does he know I like him?_ That thought filled her with dread. _Why else would he be saying all these weird things to me? It's like he's trying to get me to confess!_

“I…” she started softly, ”I say what I mean…” And then her defensive side came out, “Everyone's just too stupid to realize what I'm actually saying!” She crossed her arms over her chest and huffed, looking away, embarrassment bringing some color to her cheeks.

Although her response was normal for her and Arnold should've expected her to get defensive, he was surprised by what she said. _Ugh! What are you actually saying all the time, Helga?_ He thought. Well, he _thought_ he thought that, except he actually said it out loud. 

Helga, who had been walking, jumped in the air in shock at the question, letting out a “meep!” as she did so, stopped in her tracks by the question. Regaining composure after that was hard for her. She was now wringing her hands and her eyes darted around nervously, trying to look anywhere but at him. 

Arnold, who hadn't meant to make her nervous, felt guilty that his question made her react like that. He thought about just saying it was okay, that she didn't have to tell him. He didn't want her to feel anxious and was concerned he had pushed her too far. 

Just as he was about to say these things, Helga spoke again. 

Eyes shut tightly and hands in fists at her sides, she looked like she was about to explode. “I like you Arnold.” _There,_ she thought, _the first bit is out, it can only get worse from here._ She cracked her eyes open to look at his face, where his eyes were wide but everything else looked pretty normal. “I like you, like you, Arnold,” she clarified, her eyes making contact with his, to make sure he got it - she was not doing this again. 

When he still didn't say anything she panicked, “And I know you don't like me and that's okay and I'm just gonna go okay? Okay.” Then she immediately started walking off, repeating to herself over and over, _keep it together, keep it together until you're far away from him._

Arnold was a little overwhelmed. _She likes me. She likes me likes me. Gerald was right._ His brain had short circuited. _She likes me. Holy cow she likes me! And..._ he looked around, bringing his eyes back into focus and shaking his head back into the real world, _where did she go!_

He spotted her already ten feet away from him and walking quickly away. “Helga!” He shouted, jogging after her. “Wait!”

Helga didn’t want him to let her down easy, so she kept walking, shoulders hunched to try and block out his plea. _Please, Arnold, don’t be nice, let me just walk away and feel miserable. I don’t want to have to look at you and tell you not to feel guilty just because you feel bad that you don’t like me the same way._

Arnold wasn’t going to have it though, jogging to catch up with her and reaching out a hand to gently tug on her shoulder. “Helga, please,” he said quietly, pleading with his eyes as well as his voice, even though she couldn’t see him with her back still turned. She did stop walking at his touch, though. 

Turning her head towards his voice behind her but trying to keep her back straight and turned away from him, Helga sighed and said, “What, Arnold?” She may have known he would do this and it made her a bit happy that he cared enough about her to run after her, but mostly she was just disappointed. 

“Helga, I…” Arnold started. He really didn’t know what to say. 

After a moment, “I...think I like you too.” 

Shocked, Helga’s jaw dropped and she gasped quietly. Turning to face him now, she said, a little louder than before, “What?”

Looking into her eyes, Arnold said it again as sincere as possible, begging her to believe him, “I think I like you too Helga.” 

“I…” Helga started. It was like her world was moving slowly. Half of her brain was jumping, screaming, reciting love poems made up on the spot, but the other half was confused. “What do you mean think?” 

Arnold cleared his throat, a blush crawling up his neck until he could feel his cheeks and ears burning from embarrassment at being asked what exactly he meant. 

“I mean I’ve been having these...thoughts, about you, recently, and I don’t know if I like like you,” he squeezed his eyes shut at that last part, not wanting to see the disappointment on her face, he felt so guilty, “but,” he opened his eyes again, “I think maybe I do, or could, one day.” 

He let her digest his words, watching her eyes go wide and then hopeful. 

“Okay,” Helga said shakily, meeting his eyes and then giving him a small smile before looking away. 

“So…” Arnold began, “Do you want to go to Slausen’s before they close? Get some sandwiches? My treat.” 

A wide grin appeared on Helga’s face for a split second before she schooled her facial expressions and pretended to act indifferent. “Sure, football head,” she said, shrugging her shoulders and already turning away from him, “but I’m paying for our ice cream. Can’t have you thinking you need to take care of me or something.” 

Arnold smiled, even though she was already turned towards Slausen's.

Helga started to walk ahead of Arnold so she could hide her grin, but he could still tell from behind her that she was smiling. He caught up to her though and took her hand, smiling and looking away as she turned to him with an incredulous expression on her face, before she looked the other way and smiled too. She even swung their arms a bit as they walked.

**Author's Note:**

> Phew. That took months of writing 100 words at a time on various buses and trains, and in minutes between classes. But it's done! I haven't written in a long time, so I hope my writing isn't awful and that you enjoyed my story! Once again, thank you to PointyObjects for motivating me to write, your words and stories are encouraging.


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